Live healthy, live happy.....

Me hanging out at my house.  My hair is a simple wash and go.  I wet my hair and put my homemade leave-in in, shook my hair and went about my business. 

Hello there lovelies~ 

Last week I checked a book out from the library called, "Ani's Raw Food Essentials" by Ani Phyo.  I have been interested in eating raw a bit more ever since having lunch at "Good Life Cafe" in West Columbia.  In early May my wonderful friends, Jillian, Terika, Sherika and I ventured to the good life cafe for what turned into a 7 hour lunch (oh how time flies when you're talking).  At this cafe all of the food served is raw.  What?!?!?  This was my first experience eating a completely raw meal, but everything that I had was delicious (I had a macadamia and spinach burger with melon salad and corn salad as my sides.  I topped it off with a cheesecake for dessert).  So, of course I became curious.  I couldn't believe that all this delicious food was made raw!

At the cafe a brand called "hallelujah acres" is sold.  So, I began my quest for raw food knowledge by googling hallelujah acres.   This is a community that supports a holistic lifestyle including a raw diet.  After reading up on this website I was convinced that I needed to begin a raw lifestyle. The supporters of raw diets believe in eating "living" food in order to ensure that you get all of the possible nutrients that your food has to offer.  It is well known that cooking/heating food changes the food's chemical make-up and usually removes nutrients (the longer you cook, the less nutrients your food will maintain).  Therefore, by eating raw food your body takes in all of the nutrients offered by your food.  The term "living food" refers to food that is not processed or cooked (ie.  a raw apple is living, apple pie is not living).  

So, as I read this all sounded good to me.  Supporters of raw diets believe that the enzymes in raw food help sustain longevity, fight off infection and diseases, support immune function, help to elevate mood and gives you increased energy.  Well, as my mother always said, I'm from Missouri, so I had to see it to believe it.  So, for about a week I incorporated raw food into my diet.  I didn't go totally raw, but about 90% of what I was eating was raw.  I felt GREAT!  I definitely felt healthier and more energized.  Unfortunately, I slowly slipped back into my old ways.  Immediately I could feel the difference in my body when I had a slip up and ate food that wasn't as good for me (and I'm not talking junk food, I'm talking cheese, dairy, cooked items).  So, I became a believer.  

Changing your whole lifestyle is definitely something that you have to do because YOU want to do it.  In order to change your lifestyle you must first be mentally dedicated.  So, I'm preparing myself to slowly but surely switch my diet over to at least 80% raw (that is my ultimate goal).  Reading this book is helping  a lot.  I will probably be a little while before I am even at 20% raw, but I'm getting there.  I decided that this time I want to do some research and really learn about what it means to be raw so that I can be mentally and physically prepared to dedicate myself to a new lifestyle.  I am SUPER excited!!!!  In reading this book I have already learned how to read produce barcodes.  A code with 4 digits means that the food was grown traditionally.  A code that begins with 9 means that the food is organic.  A code that begins with 8 means that the food has been genetically altered (ie. stay away).  

I will probably read a few more books before I get started big time on my raw lifestyle.  I plan for my next read to be "The Unhealthy Truth" by Robyn O'Brien.  The book is written by a mother who decided to gain more knowledge about the food, and more importantly the additives, preservatives, etc. added to the food, that goes into our bodies.  The author's daughter one day suffered a severe allergic reaction to eggs; this experience prompted this mother to investigate the "underworld" of food and government regulations.  I heard about this book from Naptural85, who is a great source for tips on eating healthier.  

Well, that's all I have for now.  I just got back from the grocery store and felt inspired to talk about eating healthy.  If anyone is up for a new challenge with me let me know.....

Tootles for now!